Kickoff of the initial DFB Cup round: three minnows eliminated - Leverkusen advances
1. FC Magdeburg and 1. FC Union Berlin Advance in DFB-Pokal
In the first round of the 2025 German Cup (DFB-Pokal), Erik ten Hag's debut with Bayer Leverkusen resulted in a convincing 4-0 victory against lower-league SG Sonnenhof Großaspach. The match, held in mid-August 2025, saw a series of goals, with Christian Kofane scoring twice, including a late strike, and Alejandro Grimaldo converting a penalty, contributing to the dominant scoreline.
Meanwhile, in another exciting encounter, 1. FC Magdeburg secured a 3-1 victory against Saarbrücken. Martijn Kaars opened the scoring for Magdeburg in the 43rd minute, followed by Rayan Ghrieb's brace, one in the 45th minute and the other in the 59th minute. Saarbrücken managed to pull one back through Tim Civeja in the 67th minute, but it was not enough to prevent Magdeburg's advancement.
In a separate match, 1. FC Union Berlin also secured their place in the next round, defeating FC Gütersloh 4-1. Robert Skov scored the first goal from a direct free kick in the 19th minute, followed by Leopold Querfeld and Danilho Doekhi, who both netted in the first half. Woo-Yeong Jeong added a fourth goal in the 90th minute +4, while Gütersloh managed to score one through an unspecified scorer in the 78th minute.
Andrej Ilic scored the fourth goal for Union Berlin in the 78th minute, ensuring a comfortable victory for the team. Both 1. FC Magdeburg and 1. FC Union Berlin progressed to the next round, eliminating 1. FC Saarbrücken and FC Gütersloh respectively.
Despite the impressive win in the DFB-Pokal, Ten Hag acknowledged that there is still room for improvement in his team[4][5]. Unfortunately, Leverkusen's Bundesliga debut under Ten Hag's leadership ended in a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Hoffenheim, a separate match from the cup encounter[1][2][3].
In the European football leagues, both 1. FC Magdeburg and 1. FC Union Berlin demonstrated strong performances, showcasing their skills in the sport. Magdeburg's impressive 3-1 win against Saarbrücken and Union Berlin's dominating 4-1 victory against FC Gütersloh in the DFB-Pokal indicate their potential in football leagues beyond Germany.
